


A Sinking Ship

by JoPoGirlsKickAss



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, Ficlet, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, One Shot, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:34:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23726893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoPoGirlsKickAss/pseuds/JoPoGirlsKickAss
Summary: A slowly growing collection of ficlets/one-shots all about Arya and Gendry.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Renly Baratheon/Loras Tyrell
Comments: 8
Kudos: 79
Collections: Arya and Gendry (read: Ice and Fire)





	1. Standing Up

Gendry suppressed a sigh as Stannis approached with Melisandre, instead he took a sip of his ale and braced himself.

“It’s disgraceful.”

“It’s disgusting,” Melisandre drawled.

“What are you bitching about now?” Robert asked.

“Renly,” Melisandre sneered.

Gendry flexed his jaw, he knew where this was going.

“You’d think he’d have enough respect for family that he doesn’t flaunt such sin.”

Ned furrowed his brows.

“What are you on about woman?”

“That sinner of a brother?”

“What? Ren? He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“He’s unnatural and should be sorted out.”

Gendry wondered how Melisandre would go about ‘sorting’ Renly out.

“Are you—are you upset that Renly is gay?” Ned asked

Gendry gripped his mug tighter, his knuckles turning white.

“Upset?” Melisandre hissed, “It’s sin, the Lord of Light will destroy him and this family for allowing it. Love is between a man and woman only and he’s flaunting his sin before everyone, as if he’s not ashamed.”

There was small snort and all five heads turned towards a pair of grey eyes, “That’s rich coming from you Mel, given that you’re a home wrecker.”—Gendry tried to hid his laugh—"And your god is a piece of shit if he thinks you should only fall in love with someone’s gentiles and not their soul.”

Robert let out a booming laugh and Melisandre narrowed her eyes.

“Don’t you talk to her like that girl.”

“Why? It’s the truth. She’s a home wrecker and you’re a shitty person Stannis, Renly is in love and you and your whore are the only two people who think that’s disgusting. Just because Mel has you by the cock and you don’t have the balls to get things done by yourself doesn’t mean you can shit on others, even if they’re family, especially if they’re family.”

“Watch your language,” Ned said pointedly.

“My apologies, you’re not a whore Mel, you’re a straight up cunt.”

And with that the girl flipped her braid over her shoulder and walked away.

“Ned I think you need to get your daughter under control.”

“Ha!” Robert laughed. “You’re just upset she laid out the truth. You really ought to pull that stick out from your arse Stan, you might finally be able to enjoy sex for once if you do.”

Stannis was bright red and Gendry was surprised Melisandre could still see with how narrowed her eyes were, his uncle and his mistress turned and stormed off.

“She is a wild one Ned.”

Ned shook his head, “More than you know.. she’s more wolf blood than we’ve seen in centuries.”

“Maybe she needs a stubborn stag to wear her out.”

“Robert!” Ned snapped.

Gendry looked to the usually stoic Stark, who looked to be nearly as enraged as Stannis had been moments before.

Robert had his hands up, “Not me Ned! Gods I’m not that fucked in the head! I meant Gendry! He was staring at her arse as she walked away.”

Gendry felt his ears turn bright red, and met the cool, grey gaze of Ned Stark.

There was a long stretch of silence.

Gendry felt sweat building at the back of his neck and finally caved. “Sorry!—but it’s a nice arse!”

Ned shook his head, and wondered away.

“Arya.”

Gendry turned towards his father, “What?”

“Her name is Arya.”


	2. Impartial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little competition.

“Arya!” Arya’s head snapped towards the call of her name and saw Margaery gesturing wildly. She narrowed her eyes as Margaery continued to speak emphatically to her small audience. “—she’s the one!”

The brown eyes found her, and Margaery smiled so widely Arya thought her face might split, “Arya!”

Arya glanced to her sister who stood next to Margaery, she gave Arya a smirk, and sipped from her tumbler.

Arya topped off her drink and slowly made her way over to the group. “Yes?”

Ned and Mycah smiled at her with cheeks red with wine, Aegon was smirking much the way Sansa had, Edric and Gendry were enough into their cup that they stood with wide bases, Rickon and Theon were sloppily giggling and pointing at Arya, and Loras and Meera were whispering suspiciously with Sansa.

“Care to settle an argument?”

“Usually I’d say yes, but you’re looking too pleased for this to be something simple..”

“Oi, you need to be drinking more if you’re that levelheaded,” Theon scolded.

Arya smirked, “Oh, I’m tipsy enough.. I just know how to hide it.”

“Gotta teach me that s—is,” Rickon hiccupped.

Margaery shushed the peanut gallery and threw an arm over Arya’s shoulder, which was mildly awkward since Arya now stood as tall as her sister. Margaery waved at the boys, “We’ve something to settle, and it’s been decided you’re the only one who can settle it.”

Arya lifted an eye brown, “Is that so?”

“It is so!”

“And why me?”

“Well you see, Aegon and I briefly dated, so I’m out. Sansa and Ned were together at one point, so she’s out. Rickon offered himself up but apparently, he’s kissed Edric before—don’t have the details on that one. No one wants to kiss Theon again. Meera’s slept with Aegon and Loras is uncomfortable kissing his nephews.” Margaery smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling, “So that means you’re the only one who can fairly decide who’s the best snog, since you’ve never snogged any of them.”

Aegon was still smirking, Ned gave her a shy smile, Edric was grinning broadly, Gendry had an eyebrow raised as though he knew she was going to backdown, and Mycah was shaking his head slightly while staring into his glass.

“Well that’s not true.”

The chatter of the peanut gallery immediately died and the boys in front of them all frowned and glanced at one another. Margaery’s arm fell from her shoulder and her and the others looked at her with disbelief.

“What?” Sansa asked leaning forward slightly as if to hear better.

Arya shrugged, pointing, “I’ve snogged that one.”

All eyes swiveled to Mycah who smiled broadly at Arya.

Sansa, Meera, and Rickon seemed to deflate.

“Am I the only one who though she was going to say—” Theon coughed hard as Rickon’s elbow caught his side.

“Oh, sorry mate,” Rickon apologized, smiling falsely.

Margaery was blinking slowly at Arya, “When.. when was this?”

Arya shrugged again, “When we were younger.”

“How young?”

“Dunno,” Arya glanced at Mycah, “What.. we were fourteen? Fifteen?”

“It was just after my fifteenth nameday.”

“There you have it.”

“Were you dating?” Meera asked eagerly.

“No.”

“Ha!” She said doing a small jig, “Then it doesn’t count!”

“What? Why not?”

“Because you didn’t like him!”

“Oy! I like Mycah just fine thank you very much!”

Meera tsked, rolling her eyes, “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Dunno, for as much as we snogged that year…” Mycah trailed off smirking.

Sansa’s eyes widened, “You did it more than once?”

“Yeah… how else are you supposed to practice?”

“Practice?” Theon all but bellowed.

“Wait.. you just practiced with each other?”

“Yeah,” Arya glanced at her childhood friend, “You had that crush on.. Julle?”

“Juleen,” Mycah said nodding.

“Right, Juleen, he didn’t want to date her if he didn’t know how to kiss, she’d dated a boy in the year above. And I’d always wondered what the fuss was about.”

Meera pushed forward between Sansa and Margaery, “Mycah, you think you’re a better kisser than you were when you were fifteen?”

“Uh.. I hope so.”

Meera clapped her hands together, “Excellent, you can still be judge then!”

“You want me to judge…?”

“Yeah, their ability to snog. Aegon thinks he’s the best, but Sansa said she think it might be Ned, but Mycah said he’s better than Ned. And Edric flat out said he was best, but Gendry strongly disagrees with that.”

Arya glanced at the boys, “Seriously?”

“Please, we all know I’ve been with the most women,” Aegon said lounging back in his chair with his trademark argoant smirk.

“Oh fuck off you twat, number has little to do with skill,” Edric replied.

Gendry scoffed, “Like you’d know skill.”

“Ha! You’re one to talk Waters, you’re practically celibate.” Aegon laughed.

“Bet.” Gendry said with an over exaggerated glare.

“Bet,” Aegon said with a smirk, he flicked his eyes to Arya, “I know I’ve always wanted to kiss our She Wolf.”

“Settle down boys.”

“Are you game?” Meera asked with a cat like grin.

Calm as still water, Arya told herself. She shrugged, feigning indifference, “Sure.”

The peanut gallery whooped and the boys sent each other mock glares, Edric even cracked his neck like it was a fight.

“Who goes first?”

“Dibs on last!” Edric shouted.

Meera rolled her eyes, “No, we’ll draw for it.”

“I’ll get paper,” Theon said while hurrying away from their group.

“Rick, grab me a bottle of Winter Fire.”

Rickon saluted and moved towards the house.

Arya only half listened as Margaery explained the rules, she was mostly focused on her sister who was giving her a strange look.

Theon returned shortly after with five pieces of paper and a hat. “Who draws?”

“I will!” Meera said throwing her hand into the hat and pulling out a piece of paper. She turned it over and squinted, “Theon, what the fuck does this even say?”

Theon looked over her shoulder, “Oh, that’s Edric.”

“The hell it is?!” Meera rolled her eyes, “Fine, Edric you’re first.” Meera ignored his protest and reached for another and again Theon had to read his own writing.

The order was eventually established as Edric, Ned, Gendry, Aegon, and Mycah.

Arya took the bottle of Winter Fire that Rickon offered and took a generous swing before passing it to Edric.

She settled onto a high deck chair that Margaery said she was too sit while testing snogging ability.

Edric passed the bottle of alcohol to Ned and approached Arya. He swallowed heavily and his eyes flicked toward his brother, he looked a bit worried. “You okay?” Arya asked quietly.

“Yeah.. just realize this might not be the best idea.”

Arya lifted an eyebrow, “Why? Worried you’ll lose?”

Edric’s eyes flashed in defiance, “No!”

“The come here Baratheon and show me what you’ve got.”

Edric’s lips were soft, and he knew what to do with them. Arya let him lead and attempted to focus on the snog. It was rather pleasant as far as kisses went.

The ringing of Margaery’s timer went off and they broke apart.

Arya nodded, “Okay.”

Edric grinned, but it fell slightly as he turned back to the others.

Ned stood and wiped his hands on his pants as he approached, “Not sure why I’m nervous.”

“Get over here Dayne. Let’s see what my sister taught you,” Arya said a little too loudly.

“Why’d you have to make it weird!” Sansa cried.

Arya smirked.

“Ready?”

“Is that how you always approach the girls?”

Ned rolled his eyes and leaned in for her lips. Ned’s lips were softer than Edric’s, and like Edric she let him lead. The kiss was soft and gentle, and kind, and everything Sansa would have deserved after her bastard of a boyfriend.

The time went off and they broke off.

“Ten stars if that’s how you were taking care of my sister,” Arya said quietly.

Ned smiled softly, “Too bad she’s a lesbian.”

“She that good?” Arya asked.

Ned nodded smiling softly.

“Am I better?”

Ned chuckled, shaking his head, “I’m not answering that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not stupid!” Ned said laughing.

“Coward.”

Ned shrugged and moved away.

Gendry pushed off the cushion he sat on and approached with one hand buried in his hair. Arya knew it was his nervous tick, and took a deep breath.

 _As calm as still water_.

His kept his eyes down until he was directly in front of her.

“Scared?”

The blue eyes met hers and the hesitation vanished, his usual spark replacing it, “You wish Stark.”

“Bet Waters?”

“I think you’re the one who’s scared,” Gendry said leaning forward and curling his hands around her armrests, his hands much closer to the back of the chair, bring his face very close to hers and boxing her into the chair with his bulk.

“Fear cuts deeper than swords,” she snapped back reflexively.

“You and your swords.”

Arya felt her mouth drop open, “Was that an innuendo? Who are you and where is Gendry Waters.”

“Oh shut it.”

“Make me.”

“As milady commands.” And then his lips were on hers.

His lips were dry and chapped, and it wasn’t gentle, but he certainly took his time, tugging at her lips, she was just starting to gather her thoughts into coherent ideas when Margaery’s phone sounded.

Arya could have sworn that they’d reduced his time, because there was no way that had been ten seconds.

Arya took a deep breath and bobbed her head, “Okay..”

Gendry’s hand flew to his hair and his confidence from before vanished, this time low anger shifting into its place, and Arya flinched, had they just ruined their friendship?

Aegon approached her smirking, and usually she’d say something snarky, but panic was welling in her stomach as Gendry moved towards the wall, his shouldered tense and drawn up in defense.

“I didn’t imagine this for our first kiss.”

Arya drew her eyes away from Gendry and onto Aegon. “This isn’t how I imagined our last kiss.”

Aegon’s mouth fell open, and then he shook his head smirking, “How are you so immune to my charms?”

“Just kiss me already.”

Aegon’s smirk grew larger and he leaned in. He had the softest lips of all of them so far, but he was the most aggressive as of yet. It wasn’t overly aggressive, but Arya’s focus was still fliting between the kiss and Gendry, and she wasn’t really trying to even follow his lead.

The timer went off and Aegon pulled back, “You’re welcome.”

Arya groaned, “You did not just say that!” Leave it to Aegon to say something chauvinistic enough to pull her thoughts away from Gendry.

“Last up!” Margaery said gleefully.

Arya’s eyes flicked to Gendry as Mycah approached, he was leaning against the wall, a scowl in place, his eyes dark.

“Hey, you okay?”

Arya forced a smile, “Yeah.. it’s just a lot.”

“I bet.” Mycah smiled, wiggling his eyebrows, “I promise there’s improvement.”

Arya laughed, “I hope so, and on my end too.”

Mycah then captured her lips in quiet, soft kiss that made her feel warm. He lead their movements in a slow push and pull of lips. It was definitely an improvement from eight years prior and she smiled into the kiss and could feel him smile as well.

The timer sounded and they were both grinning when they pulled apart. “Better?” he asked.

Arya nodded, “Much.”

“You too.”

She laughed, “Good to know, I’d be worried if it wasn’t.”

“So?” Meera said appearing next to them, her eyes practically sparkling with mischief.

“So what?”

“Who is it?”

“Who’s what?” Arya said playing dumb. She could her the group groan in protest.

“Arya,” Theon whined.

She rolled her eyes, “Honestly.. overall: Mycah.”

Mycah laughed and held up his hand, which Arya met in a high five.

The other boys groaned and began arguing about her and Mycah having kissed previously and the fact that he was the last to go, but Gendry stayed at the wall, his sullen stare directed out over the yard.

The group slowly started to disperse wondering toward the house or the fire further out in the yard, their debating carrying across the space, Arya caught the look Sansa tossed over her shoulder and the nod she made in Gendry’s direction, but Arya pretended not to see it.

Once everyone’s boisterous voice had faded with some distance Arya looked Gendry over once more, she shoved her fear as far down as she could, and called out his name, trying to put some cheer into it, “Gen?” 

Gendry’s blue eyes met hers and she saw the anger still swirling in their depths, but also something else, something that looked a lot like sadness.

“You that upset about losing?” she asked trying to make light of the situation.

Gendry pushed off the wall and stood straighter, he moved to where he’d been sitting before and grabbed the almost empty bottle of Winter Fire, “No.”

“A—” Arya paused.

_Fear cuts deeper than swords._

“—are we good?” she continued

Gendry’s eyes softened as he looked at her, “Yeah.. sorry.”

Arya studied him, watching as he took a long drink. “Oy! You better not finish that off.”

Gendry grinned and Arya felt her panic settle slightly, “Yeah? Why are you entitled to last of it milady?”

Arya narrowed her eyes, “Because I bought it.”

Gendry looked to the bottle, “I don’t think you did.”

“Yeah I did!”

“Nah,” Gendry said approaching, “I bought this one.”

“How’d you know that?”

“Because it’s got the sticker from the liquor store around the corner from my flat.”

Arya tsked as he showed her the sticker. “You like Southron mead more anyway, why’d you even buy it.”

“First, I don’t like Southron mead—”

“Yes you—”

“—Oy! Don’t interrupt!” She shut her mouth narrowing her eyes. “Good,” he continued, “now as I was saying, Winter Fire has started to grow on me, because someone I know is drinking it all the time, and always bringing a bottle to my place, so I thought I better buy some least milady run out.”

Arya cocked her head slightly, taking the bottle from his hand. “Good of you to finally find some taste.” Arya took a long pull from the bottle and sighed happily when she pulled it away from her lips. “So.. where do I rank?”

Gendry’s brows drew together, “What?”

“Snogging wise, where am I compared to everyone else?”

Gendry licked his lips. “Good… You’re good.”

Arya lifted an eyebrow, “Just _good?”_

“What you want me to lie to you?”

Arya narrowed her eyes, and then steeled her resolve.

_Fear cuts deeper than swords._

She reached for his belt and pulled him to her, parting her legs so he fit between them. She buried one hand into the hair at the base of his neck and yanked him down to her. She met his lips in a bruising kiss. 

There was one beat, two beats, and then his lips started moving against hers. It was rougher than his first one, and it was aggressive—not like Aegon’s—but enough that she fought back slightly—in a good way, Arya’d always liked a bit of a challenge.

One of his hands curled around the back of her knee and yanked her closer to him, and electricity zipped up her spine. His other hand was curled tightly around her side, kneading her back.

He kissed her like he wanted her, and Arya was relishing in it. She let out a low growl and Gendry pulled back his pupils blown out wide. Then Gendry let out a growl of his own and recaptured her lips and Arya thought she’d melted in her chair the way the sound rolled through her making her toes and finger tips go numb with excitement.

“Fucking called it!” Rickon shouted, cutting through their moment.

Arya pulled away and they both turned their heads toward the shout. Rickon, Sansa, Meera, Margaery, and Mycah all grinned back at them.

“Oh fuck off!”

“Does this mean I lost?” Mycah asked.

Arya glanced at Gendry, before laughing, “Guess it does. Sorry Mycah.”

Mycah shrugged his shoulders, “Gendry deserves it.”

“I supposed you’re right.” She turned back to Gendry smirking.

He leaned down touching his forehead to hers, “Might need more practice to maintain my standing.”

“Probably.”

Gendry leaned in to kiss her again, but Arya dodged, he gave her a confused look, but she just lifted an eyebrow. “Still just good?”

He shook his head, “Fucking brilliant.”

Arya smirked, “We’ve haven’t gotten that far yet.”

Gendry’s eye widened and then his lips found hers again, and Arya couldn’t help but smile into the kiss.


End file.
